This is page numbers 1229 - 1250 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was premier.

Topics

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. I would like to take the opportunity to also recognize in the gallery the board of governors for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation. They are holding their annual meeting here this weekend. We have Peter Kamingowak -- I apologize if I don't pronounce your names correctly -- Charlie Evalik, Poasie Joamie, Peter Kritaqliluk and Japatie Qappik of Pangnirtung. Welcome to the Assembly.

---Applause

Are there any more names? No. I have to practice that. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Ordinarily, Mr. Speaker, I like to give notice of questions to Ministers, but today I would like to ask the Minister -- I know he is now familiar with his portfolio, having occupied it for some time and having been very diligent -- if he knows if northern municipalities, from whom contractors purchase or rent services or purchase materials qualify as northern purchasers under the business incentive policy? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Madam Premier, would you like to respond for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs?

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to take that question as notice.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Are there any further oral questions? Item 7, written questions. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two written questions. The first one is to the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Would the Minister for the Department of Health and Social Services please advise the House of the following:

What is the status of the proposal call to provide orthodontic services in the Baffin region?

Will it be possible to utilize the facilities of the existing private dental clinic in Iqaluit rather than going to the expense of constructing or renovating duplicate facilities to examine orthodontic patients in the regional hospital?

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

If I may, Mr. Speaker, another separate question is to the Minister of Public Works and Services.

Would the Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services confirm that: Occasionally, when certain services or materials are not available in the private sector, contractors must purchase materials or supplies, services, or rent equipment from municipalities in the Northwest Territories.

Why do these purchases and rentals from northern municipal corporations not qualify as northern purchases under the business incentive policy?

Since our municipalities employ local people and obviously contribute to the local economy, will the Minister work with his colleague, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, whether there is an appropriate method allowing such purchases to become qualified under the business incentive policy.

Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

June 8th, 1995

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table Tabled Document 115-12(7), the request for proposals which the Government of the Northwest Territories issued in requesting proposals for the provision and operation of heavy land-based air tanker operations and maintenance of CL-215 air tanker aircrafts and associated Bird Dog aircraft services in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Patterson.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table Tabled Document 116-12(7), an article from yesterday's Globe and Mail entitled, "Rock Ignoring Gun Control Figures, Critics Say, difficult to Find Relation Between Firearms Control and Homicide Rates, Studies Show." Thank you.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Clerk.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Rule 42(10), I wish to table Tabled Document 117-12(7), a response to Petition No. 6-12(7) tabled by Mr. Dent and responded to by the Minister of Justice concerning the support for the Yellowknife victims' services program.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Pudluk.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tabled Document 118-12(7) is a letter written by the hamlet of Grise Fiord to HGS Incorporated in Calgary concerning that company's closing and the Noice Peninsula. The hamlet is asking for some agreement to transfer equipment to Grise Fiord, signed by the hamlet mayor. Thank you.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. We will take a 15-minute break.

---SHORT RECESS

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The House will come back to order. We're on item 16, motions; Motion 21-12(7). Mr. Patterson.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Without Mr. Kakfwi being here, I have decided not to proceed with my motion today. I understand that it will die on the order paper, but I may have the opportunity to reintroduce it. Thank you.

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents
Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The motion will be dropped from the order paper. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Mr. Pollard.

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Bill 33, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to provide that the Executive Council shall be composed of persons appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. To the principle of the bill. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the principle of this bill, initially I supported the concept of it but, after discussions with my constituents, there seems to be a concern. This bill will give the ability to the Premier to hire her Cabinet Ministers and to dismiss them accordingly, as he or she sees fit. The concern that has been expressed to me is that it's, number one, moving towards a party politics system; number two, the particular concern is that basically, once the Members agree on a Premier, then you're giving them full authority to select their Cabinet. Many people feel that in the event this bill goes through, the Premier should be elected by the people of the Northwest Territories and not just the Legislative Assembly.

I find that this bill is going to allow for manipulation in our democratic process that we've adopted as Canadians. I also find that with this particular bill, if it's allowed to go through, as our consensus system of government now operates will take a great step towards party politics and I don't know if all northerners agree with that.

So, with all due respect, I do not support the principle of this particular bill. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

To the principle of the bill. Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was a little bit surprised when the Standing Committee on Legislation made the recommendation for Bill 33 to come forward. I know that the Standing Committee on Finance had recommended a bill that would allow the Premier -- for technical reasons that we saw -- to dismiss Cabinet Ministers. I had not expected that in

addition to that bill, we would now be talking about Bill 33 which would allow the Premier to select Cabinet Members.

Mr. Speaker, three and a half years ago when this first came up in the House during the Territorial Leadership Committee, I spoke in favour of allowing the Premier to select Cabinet and, given the opportunity to do it again, will speak in favour of it again. I think over the last three years I have seen increasing evidence to support the idea that our government would in fact be better if we were to allow the Premier to select the Cabinet Members.

As I see it, Mr. Speaker, our system has a weakness; it doesn't foster a cohesive team approach right now. Over the past three and a half years, a number of times an individual Member of Cabinet, in my opinion, has been left by his or her colleagues dangling and twisting in the wind.

Mr. Speaker, I think we need something that will foster a team approach so that a comprehensive plan of action can be proposed and there's a sense of discipline in government. Rather than constantly shifting priorities as a response to political pressures, we need, especially as funds get tighter and tighter, leadership which can take a global look at problems, set the course and then provide the leadership so we can stick to it.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that discipline requires allegiance. When Cabinet Ministers are elected by other Members, to whom do they owe their allegiance if not directly to those people who elected them?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to compare the Premier to the coach of a sports team. If a coach cannot enforce discipline, how do they ensure the team will perform as it should? We've all seen sports teams where the coach has benched or fired a so-called superstar because they weren't contributing as part of the team. Sometimes you have to be able to do that.

Some suggest that this move would be a step towards party politics. Mr. Speaker, I would argue that allowing the Premier to select Cabinet would actually slow down the drive towards party politics because it would increase accountability. The lack of accountability is something that I think has been a major issue the last three and a half years among the people of the north.

I would also point out, Mr. Speaker, that our system is, in many ways, already operating in a system similar to party politics. We have the different caucuses: Western Caucus; Nunavut Caucus; Ordinary Members' Caucus. Members form and have allegiances to different groups at different times. But, because these shift, it means that the priorities of this House tend to shift much more quickly than is usually the case in government. Government needs to have some stability. The only way we can achieve that stability is if we have some longer term allegiances built up.

I think we have to remember that one of the biggest safeguards we have in our system is our Legislative Assembly works very similarly to a minority government. The Cabinet doesn't have enough votes on its own to set a certain course of action and stick to it. There has to always be enough support from ordinary Members so Cabinet can achieve a majority in this House.

Mr. Speaker, I would also argue that allowing the Premier to select the Cabinet need not be tied to a territories-wide election for the Premier. I think, in fact, that idea leads us down the road towards a Republican style of government, ones we've seen in other parts of the world; the closest one to us being, of course, the United States. I think that form of government, where you have one very, very powerful leader, is one that is even more foreign to the peoples of the north than the style we now have, which I think can be modified to deal with northerners' concerns.

I think, Mr. Speaker, in fact, all the people of the Northwest Territories have a say now in who the leader is in the Legislature, because they speak through their representatives. I was elected to represent the people in my constituency and I don't have any problems voting for the Premier. But I have a real problem with the way our system works after that, Mr. Speaker, because it doesn't lend itself to the team approach.

I think the only way we're ever going to get real accountability, to the point where the Premier is the person this House can look to for a statement of government principles, is to allow the Premier to select the Cabinet. The plan of action would come out during the campaign for Premier during the Territorial Leadership Committee meetings. Those promises and plans would then be on the record and would be something that Members could hold the Premier accountable for, and make sure he or she has a team working with them to achieve those goals.

So, Mr. Speaker, I support the principle of this bill and would urge other Members to do likewise. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Ballantyne.